


Whumptober 2019 - 09 - Shackled

by OllieCollie



Series: Whumptober 2019 [9]
Category: Chicago Fire
Genre: Fire, Gen, Revenge, Whump, poor Kelly is getting whumped again, shackled
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-09
Updated: 2019-10-09
Packaged: 2020-11-28 18:43:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 962
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20971253
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OllieCollie/pseuds/OllieCollie
Summary: He yanked against the cuffs, but they were fastened tightly and there was no way he was loosening them. The house may have been old, but the banister was in good enough shape that it would take a lot of force to rip it out, leverage that Kelly didn't have with how he was bound.





	Whumptober 2019 - 09 - Shackled

_ Man, how much did I have to drink? _ Kelly's fuzzy brain supplied as he slowly came to. His head felt like someone was banging it with a halligan—repeatedly. He moaned, moving to raise a hand to his throbbing head. Confusion flitted through him when his limbs didn't cooperate. He tried again, and that's when he realized both of his arms were wrenched behind his back. He shifted, hearing the metallic jangle of handcuffs as he moved.  _ What…? _

Kelly opened his eyes, and the world around him slowly came into focus. He was sitting at the bottom of a flight of stairs in what seemed to be a very old, abandoned house, shackled to the thick wooden banister. The stench of gasoline burned his nostrils...and smoke? Something was on fire. If he wasn't confused before, he was absolutely befuddled now. The last thing he remembered was getting ready for shift…

A man stepped into his line of sight and smirked. "Ah, there you are." His voice was smug but also had an undertone of anger. "Didn't think you would wake up before we were gone."

The face was familiar, but Kelly couldn't place him. "Who are you?" he asked, wincing at the throbbing pain in his head. Somebody—he assumed this guy—must've hit him hard.

"Greg Jameson. Think about it real hard, Lieutenant. That ring a bell?"

Kelly observed the guy closely. A few day's worth of stubble, black smudges under his eyes. Jameson was exhausted, and the look in his eyes was easily identifiable. Grief.

_ Jameson, Jameson… _ Kelly tried to place the name. He spotted flames licking around the corner. 

Greg growled in annoyance. "Hamilton apartment fire."

Apartment fire...that had been about a week ago. One fatality, a young man by the name of Cody...Jameson. 

Realization dawned on Severide. He knew what this was all about. "Yeah, I remember that fire. Cody Jameson—"

"Was my brother," Greg snapped, his glare hardening. He glanced to his left. " _ Our _ brother."

Kelly's gaze slide in same direction. A teen appeared next to Greg, the same glare on his face but slightly less...certain. He held a can of gasoline in his hands.

Greg patted the boy on the back and turned back to Kelly. " _ You  _ left Cody to die."

Even though he knew reasoning with a bitter, grieving man was probably futile, he tried anyway. "I'm sorry, Mr. Jameson. We did our best to get to your brother—" 

"You left him to suffer! He was trapped in that apartment, and you let him die!" 

Kelly shook his head. "There was no—"

" _ Shut. Up! _ " the man roared. "I don't want your excuses  _ or  _ your apologies."

Severide warily watched as the man turned and nodded to the kid—the other brother—who emptied the can onto the floor surrounding the squad lieutenant. 

Greg nodded again in approval. He leaned in close to Kelly, his gravelly voice low and ominous. "Now you're gonna feel what our brother felt. Stuck in a burning building, knowing you're going to die. Just waiting for the flames to reach you."

Before Kelly had a chance to protest, both men were gone. 

_ Well, this is great,  _ he huffed, glancing around. The house had clearly not been used in some time; it was practically falling apart already. Kelly coughed as smoke continued to fill the area. 

The Jameson brothers weren't stellar arsonists, just bitter, grieving men who wanted justice for their brother. It was good news for Kelly, because the fire was spreading slowly and was still a good distance away from him and the gas that had been poured near his feet. He had time. Now if he could just free himself.

He yanked against the cuffs, but they were fastened tightly and there was no way he was loosening them. The house may have been old, but the banister was in good enough shape that it would take a  _ lot  _ of force to rip it out, leverage that Kelly didn't have with how he was bound.

His phone. Was it still in his pocket? He shifted, trying to find the device. Something along the lines of fear struck in his chest when he came up empty-handed. The flames were creeping closer. He had to think of something, and quick

_ Come on, come on… _

* * *

An anonymous tip is what saved him. They eventually discovered that it was Jameson's kid brother, riddled with guilt about what his brother had talked him into doing.

Kelly was struggling, becoming more and more panicked by the second—although he would never admit it. His wrists were rubbed raw, and he was no closer to finding a way to free himself. Plus, the smoke was getting to him, especially with his head injury. He didn't even hear the approaching sirens. It was becoming harder to breathe.

Then, the cry of, "Fire department, call out!" rang in his ears. Severide's head jerked up. "Cruz!" he hollered, choking on the thick smoke.

Seconds later, his crew reached him, shocked at the sight, to say the least. However, they all knew there wasn't time for hows and whys. They needed to get their lieutenant out of the burning house and quick. 

Bolt cutters made quick work of the cuffs, and Kelly pushed his way to his feet. "I'm good, I'm good," he insisted, even as Cruz and Casey moved to either side of him to help him out of the house. His wrists burned, and he guessed he probably messed them up pretty good trying to wrangle his way out of the cuffs. 

"Man, Sev, next time you don't wanna come in for shift, call in sick," Casey said as they exited the house, lightening the mood.

Kelly rolled his eyes. "I'll keep that in mind."


End file.
